


Bane Of Broken Hearts

by Khalid



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Implied Snape/lupin one sided attraction, accidental poisoning, intentional poisoning, love potion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:48:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23237965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khalid/pseuds/Khalid
Summary: A young Severus is tasked by the headmaster  to brew the Wolfsbane for Lupin. Sirius is mistrustful, and awkwardness ensues.
Kudos: 1





	Bane Of Broken Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t ship underage. All attractions and implications are intended as age appropriate

“Severus, I trust you to keep this potion in your utmost confidence…”

The admonition by Professor Dumbledore in the headmaster’s office rang in Severus’ ears as he bent over his cauldron.

Stupid Marauders and their stupid jokes. Severus could have been killed, and all the professors decided to do was give HIM more potions work. 

Of course he couldn’t blame Remus. It was a tragedy the shy young man had gotten swept up in the Griffindor’s gravity. 

As he glowered at the most boring part of the potion, his eyes strayed through the shelves of professor Slughorn’s stores. The potions professor played favorites, but Severus managed to alienate himself early enough but with the finesse to stay in Slughorn’s graces. He wasn’t invited to parties, but in three years he was almost assured the potions position. 

Severus’ eyes watered at the complete potions and volatile ingredients organized next to each other: Acromantula Venom stored by Amortentia…  
When he got the job, Severus had plans to rearrange… His eyes strayed again to Amortentia. It was stupid. It wouldn’t work… Even if it didn’t react violently with the wolfsbane, what did Severus expect to happen?

The final ingredient added, Severus’ hand hovered by the tiny bottle. It was now or never… Carefully, delicately, he tipped two droppersful in. Nothing happened. Would the wolfsbane be spoiled?  
(He ladeled one serving out.)

Severus’ hands shook as he brought the two bottles to the vial pouch. 

*****  
“I don’t care if it does kill me!”

Sirius glowered, standing over Remus as if to shield him from Severus bodily.

“It wouldn’t bother me.” Severus snapped. This was not to plan. 

“Come on Sirius!” Remus tried to reassure his protective friend, “If you die, I’ll have to face professor Dippet alone.”

Sirius backed up reluctantly but when Severus handed the doctored bottle over shakily, he reached out and snatched it.  
He took a swift chug, then triumphantly handed the rest to Remus.

“DAMNIT Sirius, you ASS!” Remus was truly pissed, but Severus held out his hand. 

“Best if you take this one,” He pulled the second bottle, reluctantly, from his belt, “I’ll keep an eye on Sirius for any reactions.” Severus reluctantly pulled the slightly confused looking Sirius aside, leaving Remus to take the untainted wolfsbane alone. So much for stupid ideas. Sirius started to giggle. 

“Come on, jerk. Better get you somewhere with a cure.” But Potions was now in session, and Severus couldn’t risk professor Slughorn recognizing the symptoms. 

Severus ducked into the Slytherin common room.

“Wow, this place is great, Sev!” Sirius giggled, clutching at Severus’ arm and nearly toppling them both over. 

“Sirius! Get a grip!”

“I’ve got a grip haha!”

Sirius swung the skinny Slytherin into the dungeon wall, pressed his chest against him, and whispered, “What was in that potion, Sevvy? Because I want to do bad things to you!”

“Ugh, get OFF!” Severus ducked under one arm and fired off a body-bind jinx before Sirius could recover. 

“Come on, I’ve got to get you fixed up.”

But there were no good potion ingredients in Severus’ private store. The hours passed in agonizing slowness while Severus waited for Potions to let out. 

Finally, James appeared right behind him.

“Whatcha doin’, Snivellus? I hear you getting my buddies into trouble.” 

Severus shrunk back to the wall, feeling cornered. 

“Relax, Snivellus. Lily doesn’t want me to permanently maim her weird pet project. Just come clean… for once in your life… if you even can.” He looked Severus up and down, assessing the possibility that the Slytherin could actually get clean. 

Severus shifted uncomfortably, wondering if Lily’s protection would extend to this offense. Hesitatingly, he detailed his assignment from professor Dumbledore and, ears burning, quickly stumbled over the rest of the story. As he mumbled to a stop, James’ face was turning red and he appeared to be about to burst when, with no apparent reason, he turned very calm. 

“What do you need to fix it?” 

Severus was shocked speechless and James had to repeat himself. 

“I just need a bezoar.”

James casually burst into the Potions room, Prof. Slughorn looked up distracted. 

“Potter, this isn’t your class…”

“Just need a Bezoar, Professor.”

“Oh! Um… odd, but very well…”

James grabbed one and, snatching Severus’ sleeve, dragged him to the entrance of the Slytherin common room. 

Severus waffled momentarily. Sirius was poisoned and locked inside, but Severus didn’t want to let James inside. 

“Just give me the Bezoar” He growled at the cocky Griffindor. 

“You walk in there with this, Snivellus, and you won’t walk out in one piece.” 

“Are you threatening me?”

“I don’t need to and you know it.” Severus glowered at James. He knew the Griffindor was right, and it was killing him. 

“Fine,” he glowered “But just…”

“What, Snivellus, don’t touch anything?” James mocked. 

Severus growled, snatched the Bezoar and hissed the password at the snake statue and peeked inside. Nobody was inside, so they walked in. Up in Severus’ room, Sirius glowered at the two of them through the body bind. 

Severus held up the Bezoar and noted the purple haze in Sirius’ eyes had faded greatly. 

“Perhaps we should let it wear off…” 

“Perhaps you would like to see the top of Griffindor tower from the outside?”

“Fair enough. But he’s not going to just let me go… James, he’ll kill me later.” 

“That’s on you, Snivellus and you deserve it. Better throw yourself on his mercy.”

Severus backed up shaking his head. Silently, he handed the Bezoar to James, then ran out of the room. James yelled taunts after him but quickly administered the antidote to Sirius. The young Black’s eyes brimmed with confused rage, and James pitied him. 

“He doesn’t deserve you, my friend.” He whispered softly, but guided his still bound friend out the entrance and through the castle to Griffindor tower.

“Sit tight, Sirius, I’m going to get some help for you.”

He disappeared out the portrait hole with Sirius still glowering behind. 

James found Remus sitting with a very distraught Severus. 

“Finally decided to come clean, eh Snivellus?” He jabbed at the lanky boy who shrank away.

“Leave it, James” Remus said softly, pulling his friend away. “Let’s go take care of Sirius.”

“I should come... apologize…” Severus said timidly and when James nearly exploded again, Remus held his arm up to block him. 

“It’s only going to make it worse, Severus. Just let me take care of it. You said what you needed to me.”

Severus waffled a bit on the portrait entrance, then slowly trod down to the dungeon and sat, brooding at the kelp in the Black lake.

*later

Severus found Remus for the next dose. Untainted by his own stupidity, and this time Remus was blessedly alone. 

“Are you alright?”

“As well as can be expected, considering”

“...Sirius?”

Remus looked down at his hands, then across the grounds to the Black lake.

“He’s going to be alright. Not the same… Some things got in the way and… I’m not the best at memory…”

Severus gently touched the gaunt boy’s arm “I’m sure you did great, Remus. If it weren’t for me, it wouldn’t have been necessary…”

“Still Severus, could you… you know… check in on him?”

Severus’ eyes widened in confused surprise when Remus tapped his temple meaningfully. Ah. Legilimency. 

“I’m not much good, but I’ll do what I can.”

* * *  
“STAY OUT OF MY HEAD!” Sirius’ shout rang through the corridors as Severus shrank under the Marauders’ baleful glares. Still, Severus had done as he promised. He’d seen what he needed to see, and hopefully Sirius would eventually forget the incident and the pain…


End file.
